2 men sought in fish trader’s slay

Police are hunting down two alleged drug addicts tagged in the killing of a fish trader in his house in Caloocan City Friday.

Senior Police Officer 1 Bonifacio de Guzman Jr., of the Northern Police District (NPD) investigation division, identified the suspects as Christian Gilbuena and Raffy Mendoza, both residents of Kaunlaran Village in Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City.

The suspects, both jobless and known as drug users in their area, allegedly killed Crisostomo Buga, 42, also of Kaunlaran Village.

De Guzman said the suspects went to Buga’s house at around noon Friday to ask him about a cell phone one of them pawned to him a few days earlier. Buga, however, failed to produce the cell phone. This angered the suspects.

They left after a heated argument but came back later and attacked Buga while he was having a siesta inside his house, De Guzman said. The suspects reportedly hogtied the victim with a nylon cord and bashed his head in with a wooden stick.

Barangay 20 chairman Rosa Justo sought the assistance of the NPD  when he was informed of the incident. When the policemen arrived at the crime scene, the suspects were already gone.

Justo, SPO1 Ronald Batalla, PO2 Harvey Romualdez and De Guzman brought the victim to the President Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Medical Center for treatment.

The victim was transferred to the Dr. Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center but died at around 10 p.m. due to severe head injuries.  – Pete Laude